His Holiness Pope John Paul II erected the Catholic Diocese of Nashik consisting of the territory detached from the Diocese of Pune. The Catholic Diocese of Nashik consist of the civil revenue districts of Nashik, Dhule, Jalgaon, Nandurbar and Ahmednagar. All these five districts are in Maharashtra.
The majority of the Catholic Population of this diocese comprises of landless labourers marginal farmers, factory workers and those in various government services.
By the Decree "Dilecto Filio" dated June 9,1987, His Holiness Pope John Paul II appointed Rt. Rev. Thomas Bhalerao, S.J. the first Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Nashik. He was consecrated Bishop by His Eminence, Simon Cardinal, Pimenta (the then Archbishop) of Bombay on Sunday, August 23, 1987 at Dynanamata Vidyalaya, Sangamner, Ahmednagar district. He took as his motto "TOP REACH THE GOOD NEWS TO THE POOR" (Isaiah, ch. 61:1; Mathew, ch. 28:19; Acts, ch. 10:42.
The erection of the Catholic Diocese of Nashik with a son of the soil as it's first bishop is undoubtedly a landmark in the history of the Church in Maharashtra.
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